


Dressed for a Successful Seduction

by Bonfoi



Series: Spooky Snupin 2010 [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: lupin_snape, HP: EWE, M/M, Post-Second Voldemort War, Romance, partially-clothed sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-10
Updated: 2012-04-10
Packaged: 2017-11-03 09:33:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/379944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bonfoi/pseuds/Bonfoi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being held to a promise has been nothing but trouble for Severus Snape…what’s to change that this time?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dressed for a Successful Seduction

**Author's Note:**

> [Spooky Snupin 2010:](http://asylums.insanejournal.com/lupin_snape/579906.html) Prompt #6

**Silk and lace do not a lover make, neither do they hurt!**

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**_ Disclaimer:_** The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., her publishing companies and affiliates. No profit was made from the writing of this story nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form to the author or the actors/actresses who so brilliantly have brought them to life. 

This author is not responsible for underage readers. Please observe the ratings, warnings, and age of legal consent for your country.

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**6.** Hogwarts Halloween Costume Contest organised by Dumbledore.

* * *

“You’ll wear it or I’ll tell everyone about that tattoo on yer arse!” Xiomara Hooch crossed her arms and glared at her cousin-thrice-removed. “You said you’d attend the Hogwarts Halloween Ball five years after the war’s end, and by Merlin, five years have passed. I left you alone while we were professors, Snape, but by the Seven Shades, you’re going this year and that’s that!”

The former professor at the other end of the Firecall sniffed loudly and turned to quarter-profile. A soft, squishy, _wet!_ missile flew out to hit his cheek and slide down it, leaving a sticky line behind. “Xiomara, you may be a relation but this indignity—”

Hooch cut him off with a snort. “Indignity, my bony arse! You’ve been mooning about for ages since the war’s end. You’ve got medals and commendations enough to wallpaper that entire mausoleum you persist in calling home. I’ve had enough. I’ve sent your regards to the Headmaster and told him to ready a room at the castle for your visit.”

Severus turned and looked fully into the green flames. “I gave no such assent, Hooch.” She smirked at him and winked. “Ooh, fine!” he fumed. “I’ll go, but you can’t make me enjoy the damned thing.”

“I don’t expect you to do anything but attend, Cousin. The enjoying part is optional. I’ll expect you to Apparate in on the 28th of October, at nine o’clock, at the castle by half-past. I’ve got your costume in my rooms.”

Severus sneered at the mention of a costume. He barely listened to Xiomara’s parting words, missing entirely that he’d be forced to share his room.

Seeing her cousin so distracted, Hooch grinned. “Pah! You’re pitching a fit for no reason, Snape. I’ll Firecall you on the 27th. G’night!” she called. 

Severus stared at the flames as they returned to their cheery, mellow reddish-orange. He muttered to himself, “Costumes! When will I ever get away from grown men in costumes?”

~~()~~()~~()~~()~~()~~

Remus Lupin eyed his one-time colleague with a mixture of chagrin and admiration. “How did you ever learn to manipulate Severus that way?”

Xiomara Hooch leaned back and sipped her whisky as she stared at the man who’d overheard every bit of her conversation with her cousin. “He’s a right prick, but talk at him long enough he’ll tune out your voice and you can get him to agree to almost anything short of murder. Been like that for yonks.” She tossed back the last of the whisky and stood up.

“Now, you’ll need a costume too. I’ll show you Severus’ and you can decide how you’ll dress yourself.” She stood up, took a step and winced. “Good thing I’m still invalided after that Quidditch collision—he’ll be burning mad, but he won’t hex me too badly if I’m hurting already.” She grinned as Remus laughed.

“Aye, I’d like to see what you’ve in store for us. I never had so much to look forward to.” He cocked his arm in a gentlemanly gesture which Hooch ignored with a sniff. “Well, then, lay on, MacDuff!” He made a sweeping gesture for Xiomara to precede him and they left laughing.

~~()~~()~~()~~()~~()~~

“I’d kill you if you weren’t the only relative I acknowledge, Xiomara.”

Severus stared at his reflection and bit back a moan. Albus had outdone himself—the theme of the night was a Venetian Carnivale. The man in the mirror dripped with lace and diamonds and gold filigree. Severus shook his head and the reflection’s bewigged head shook as well.

The reflection preened. “We, sir, look fit to woo a princess, let alone a flea-bitten werewolf.” Severus’ wand appeared in hand as if by magic and the reflection suddenly became mum even as it grinned at Hooch over Severus’ shoulder.

“You’ve been telling tales out of school, Cousin,” Severus chided in a dangerous voice. He felt constrained and foolish in all the fine lawn and brocade and figured velvet. “You and Dumbledore have gone out of your way to make me yet again a laughingstock.” Severus raised his wand.

Hooch put her hand on Severus’ and pushed the wand down. “Now, now, no call to ruin a handsome picture or my mirror. And before you clutter it up with frowns, take a good look at yourself, Severus. You strike a very romantic pose in that outfit, with all that Mechlin lace cascading down your chest. You’re not a figure of fun, dimwit! You’re the very definition of romance if you’d but open your eyes.”

Breathing deeply through his nose, Severus attempted to do as admonished. When he opened his eyes, he looked—really looked—and saw a thin man within the velvet jacket who was leanly handsome. His nose was less prominent with the wig and the cravat distracting the eye, giving him a rakish air. He grinned slightly and felt as if he should have a sword at his side instead of a wand. Even the knee-britches didn’t look so ridiculous now that he had the whole outfit on.

Hooch stepped back, almost pitching herself top over teakettle as she stood on the hem of her domino. She watched Severus truly look at himself for the first time in years and had to suppress a pleased smile. “Come along, Don Juan. Your mask is by the door, do Summon it and complete your toilet. We’ve got some drinking to do.”

~~()~~()~~()~~()~~()~~

Severus watched the dancers whirling around the ballroom. Gone were the student and staff tables; in their places were intimate niches and bowers, some well-lit while others gave only a hint at what resided in their depths. He raised his glass of sherry at Xiomara as she sat on the sidelines, her legs draped over some Durmstrang professor’s lap.

“Excuse me, Severus.”

Severus turned and felt his face warming under the mask. Remus Lupin stood dressed as a harem slave, gold chains with bells ringing his ankles, wrists, and waist. The blue silk trousers flowed down his legs lending them length. They were tucked into calf-high boots of figured leather that had curling toes with bells on them as well.

“You do realize that I’m up here.” Lupin’s hand waved across Severus’ gaze and he shook as he drew his eyes up the silky—tempting—pants to linger on the trim waist and then blinked. He blinked again when he saw the faint shimmer of a magical tattoo mostly hidden inside the short open vest that barely covered Lupin’s chest. The black-and-gold material of the vest was encrusted with small gem chips, making a picture. 

“It seems my costume meets with your approval.” The warmth in Lupin’s voice was like rich honey flowing over Severus’ skin. “I will say that yours does you great justice as well. Very handsome as I’ve always said.”

“Never said it to me.” Severus scowled as he heard the words shoot out of his mouth. “I’ve got somewhere to be, Lupin.” Flustered by his own mind’s betrayal, Severus began to turn away.

“I think not, Master.” Remus knelt in one fluid motion. He looked up from under kohl-darkened eyelids. His head was just at the perfect height for…. Snape snarled an epithet and pulled the werewolf to his feet and into one of the darkly seductive niches.

“What are you on about, man?” Severus demanded angrily. “This is a costume ball, not the Arabian Nights. What’s gotten into you?” Snape forgot he still held Lupin’s arm in his until the warm tingle of skin, scars, and sinew stopped his tirade.

“I’m just trying to please you, Severus…Master.” Again Remus knelt, his pose less submission than gift. Severus felt something rise to the occasion and searched his mind for anything to defuse the situation.

“I won’t be laughed at, Lupin. Not now. I’ve made my peace with Halloween and Potter. As the last Marauder, you should know this and honor it.” Severus almost threw Remus’ arm from him, his pulse beating wildly.

“This is no prank, no revenge. Harry knows nothing about this. This is your…treat, Severus. Something that you always had but never accepted.” Remus sat back on his heels. “I’m hoping that the trick won’t be on me.” His grin was small, but tinged with sadness. “You see, I denied myself too, setting aside any treats because I was undeserving. Waking up after the battle, I resolved to enjoy life with gusto.” He licked his lips as he darkening eyes wandered down to Severus’ groin. “That includes you.”

Severus eyed the openly lustful werewolf suspiciously. “How do I know this isn’t a trick? That your young minions aren’t around here, ready to catch me with my pants down?” He looked away from Remus, his mask hiding his eyes but not the color rising up his cheeks.

Remus shrugged out of the vest, the bells tinkling gently as he did. From somewhere, he pulled his wand and scribed Warding and Notice-Me-Not spells. As his hands began plucking at the laces that held the silk pants closed, Severus gaped. Soon Lupin was bared to his sight…and no one had come howling out of the dark to scare Severus, to take away such a luscious, bronzed treat.

Swallowing, Severus inched closer, his hand reaching up to remove the mask. “If you are my treat, what am I for you, truly?” he whispered. His other hand reached out and his fingers were carding through Remus’ tawny and grey hair, luxuriating in the clinging, soft strands. “I do so enjoy a good treat,” he muttered absentmindedly.

Eyes half-open, Remus leaned forward and into the caress, his body tightening at Severus’ nearness, his blossoming pleasure. “I’ll be your treat, Severus…a very good, very tasty treat that gives back,” he cajoled softly. He reached forward to pull Severus close enough to mouth over the tented material of Snape’s breeches. “We can treat each other. That’ll trick the rest of the world.”

Severus’ fingers tightened and pulled Remus’ head back slowly. “I’ll not be made a fool, Lupin,” he hissed. He tugged and Remus stood up, his heated body burned through all the lawn and silk and brocade. They met in a fiery kiss, Remus’ strong hands sneaking under the brocade jacket to tear the fine lawn shirt apart so he could run his palms over Severus’ back.

Neither one saw the face almost peeking out of a portrait or felt the sudden wash of more protective magic. The sounds of Baroque music and the pleased murmurs of two men filled the air as Remus took his turn at kissing.

~~()~~()~~()~~()~~()~~

“Madame Hooch! Psst!”

Xiomara ignored the whisper and patted her suitor on his arm and then sent him off for another whisky. She glanced up at the landscape above her head and saw Albus Dumbledore twinkling down at her. “I take it your plan worked?” she asked with a smirk.

“Oh, yes, indeed. Just the thing to get the heart beating, the blood pumping, well, at least it would if I had those things, but that’s neither here nor there.” Albus’ eyes sparkled and twinkled as he glanced over at the shadowed niche. “They’ll be there for some time, and I expect may need some support in the days ahead. You’ll see to it?”

“One’s ma cousin, the other a friend, ‘course I’ll do it!” Hooch hiccupped and then winked. “It’ll make a fine story for Christmastime, won’t it?”

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_~~~ Comments, like rain in the desert, are greatly appreciated.  
Thank you for reading. ~~~_


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